NT
Nate (Nate Tormala)
Dec 11, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3.5–4 Stars — Consistently Good Stays at Holiday Inn Express, Mackinaw City
I’ve stayed at this Holiday Inn Express several times over the past year during trips between Maryland and the Upper Peninsula, and overall it has been a solid choice every time. The staff is always incredibly friendly, welcoming, and informative, offering details about hotel amenities like the pool, sauna, fresh cookies, breakfast hours, Wi-Fi, and even local attractions and restaurants. Their customer service has been consistently great during all of my visits.
Rooms:
I’ve never had an issue with cleanliness or functionality. The rooms have always been clean, comfortable, and the heating/AC units worked exactly as they should. I also haven’t run into any noise problems from other guests or housekeeping—every stay has been quiet and restful.
Breakfast:
Breakfast is your standard Holiday Inn Express selection—not amazing, not disappointing. It’s reliable and convenient, but I typically head into town for a more substantial meal. Still, what they offer gets the job done if you’re looking for something quick before hitting the road.
Parking:
This is my only real complaint about the property.
During months with little or no snow, parking is easy enough. But during my winter stays (February and December), the parking situation became tricky because the lot is fairly small. There is an overflow parking area nearby, but to get there you have to walk through an unpaved (grassy/snowy) section with no defined sidewalk. In the winter months—especially February—you’re navigating snow, uneven ground, and makeshift paths created by other guests’ footprints.
The main parking lot wraps around the hotel in a one-way loop, with diagonal parking on both sides in the front half and only one-sided parking on the back half. In heavy snow, this can feel tight and a bit cumbersome. Not a deal-breaker, but worth noting—especially for guests with mobility needs.
Pricing:
Here are the actual prices I paid for one-night stays throughout the year, to give travelers a realistic idea of the range:
• Feb 15–16, 2025: $183
• Mar 11–12, 2025: $129
• Nov 12–13, 2025: $112
• Dec 1–2, 2025: $129
As you can see, rates vary by season, but I’ve never felt the pricing was unreasonable for the area—especially considering the hotel’s consistency.
Final Thoughts:
Despite the winter parking challenges, I genuinely enjoy staying here and will continue to return. It’s clean, comfortable, friendly, and convenient—exactly what I need when traveling long distances through Michigan. If you’re passing through Mackinaw City, this Holiday Inn Express is a dependable option.